This invention relates to a bulk material handling facility and more particularly to such a facility having an unloading tube that pivots between positions for selective connection to outlets of a bulk transport vehicle and a withdrawn position.
Bulk material unloading stations have heretofore been provided for unloading bulk material from a bulk transport vehicle; however, the pipe line connection to the vehicle being unloaded restricted movement of personnel and equipment in the area at the unloading side of the vehicle. Also, when unloading vehicles with a plurality of discharge outlets spaced longitudinally of the vehicle, it was necessary to move the vehicle when switching from one discharge outlet to another.
It is an object of this invention to provide a bulk material unloading facility that includes an unloading tube that does not block movement of personnel and equipment in the unloading area when it is in use. It is a further object of this invention to provide an unloading tube which can be connected in sequence to any of several discharge outlets of a transport vehicle without requiring movement of the transport vehicle.
An unloading tube is supported for swinging movement about a vertical axis by a first pivot joint so that it can be moved from an out of the way storage position to bulk material unloading positions in which it is connectable to any one of several adjacent discharge openings of a bulk material transport vehicle. A flexible end part and a second vertical pivot joint in the unloading tube spaced horizontally from the first pivot joint facilitates selective connection of the unloading tube to a series of adjacent discharge openings of the bulk material transport vehicle. A portion of the unloading tube is elevated sufficiently to permit personnel to walk therebeneath. A support tray is employed to prevent the flexible end from engaging the ground when it is disconnected from a discharge opening of the transport vehicle and a support line extends downward at an angle from the support structure for the unloading tube and connects to the unloading tube at a point spaced horizontally from the first pivot joint. A second pivot joint may be provided in the unloading tube to further facilitate connection to discharge openings to the transport vehicle.